The Energy Gang

We use labels to advertise fuel economy of automobiles and the efficiency of appliances. Why don’t we do the same thing for our buildings? There are now 16 cities around the U.S. with building energy disclosure laws in place. Early data shows the laws are working to encourage efficiency measures and behavior change. But how far can they take us? In this week’s show, we’ll talk about the effectiveness of building energy disclosure laws with Cliff Majersik, the executive director of the Institute for Market Transformation. In the second half of the show, we’ll dissect President Obama’s decision to reject the Keystone XL pipeline and discuss why SolarCity’s stock has taken such a big hit. This show is sponsored by Huawei Technologies. Find out more: http://www.huawei.com/us/ Find out more about our new premium service, GTM Squared: http://www.greentechmedia.com/squared See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Opower has evolved a lot over the years. The software provider started with a simple efficiency solution for utilities, and has since deepened its analytics and moved into demand response, billing, segmentation and customer care. One thing has stayed the same over the years: Opower firmly believes that the utility will be the arbiter of the distributed grid. In this week’s show, we’ll talk with Opower CEO Dan Yates about the promise and perils of selling software to utilities. He’ll also discuss why he believes strengthening utility interactions with customers will be crucial for realizing a renewables-heavy grid. Later in the show, we’ll discuss Hawaii’s decision to slash net metering. And we’ll wrap up with a preview of the Paris climate talks -- will an agreement be reached? Don't forget to check out our new premium service, GTM Squared: http://www.greentechmedia.com/squared. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At a time when Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are criticized for their lack of ambition to create world-changing ideas, Elon Musk has emerged as a hero to many. Like Steve Jobs, Musk is both loved and reviled for his unwavering commitment to his vision. That vision: power the world with solar, make electric cars the dominant form of transportation, and revolutionize space travel. Some believe Musk is overhyped. Others think he's a savior of American manufacturing and innovation. Who is the man behind the myth? And how does run his companies? In this episode, we'll talk with Bloomberg Businessweek writer Ashlee Vance about his new book, "Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future." Vance describes Musk's leadership style, ambitious goals, and potential legacy. Later in the show, we'll discuss ISIS hacking attacks on the U.S. grid. We'll finish the show with a look at how Canada's new prime minister may influence climate and clean energy policy. Don't forget to check out our new premium service

When a slew of leading developers started forming YieldCos in 2013, they were hailed as a revolution in renewable energy financing. Not so much anymore. After enjoying a long surge in stock pricing, YieldCos have come crashing down -- some falling as far as 50 percent in value since July. Why did they all see such a dramatic reversal all at once? Is it that YieldCos are inherently risky? Or was there just an irrational exuberance that has leveled out? We'll answer those questions in this episode. We talk with finance expert Tom Konrad about how YieldCos are structured, why they were overvalued, what a market correction looks like, and whether they still represent the future of financing renewable energy projects. The Interchange is a brand new podcast available to GTM Squared subscribers. For one month, we’re giving away the show for free. Visit the http://www.greentechmedia.com/squared to find out more about our premium content. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice a

When the Obama Administration released its carbon rule this summer, it was hailed as a "historic step" to cutting carbon pollution. But is it really? Lots of supporters and analysts think the targets are too weak. Many now worry that the government created a rule so fragile that it could break down with a modest change in the energy mix. The reason: existing nuclear has been left out. In this episode, we'll talk with energy analyst Jesse Jenkins about why maintaining nuclear plants is vital to keeping Obama's climate rule from collapsing. Later in the show, we'll talk about the fight over demand response that hit the Supreme Court this week. We'll also look at how energy and climate were discussed during the Democratic presidential debate. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Solar has been around for decades. But it’s only in the last 10 years when the billion-dollar companies have emerged. With solar business models still so new, there a lot more room for many more startups to emerge as the next behemoths in the industry. But can software companies do it? In this episode of The Interchange, we’ll talk with Emily Kirsch, the co-founder and CEO of Powerhouse, an incubator and accelerator dedicated to the distributed solar industry. She’ll discuss where she sees the greatest opportunities for growth. We’ll talk about why Powerhouse is so focused on software companies, hear about common mistakes made by entrepreneurs pitching their companies, and discuss some alternatives to venture capital. The Interchange is a brand new podcast available to GTM Squared subscribers. For one month, we’re giving away the show for free. Visit the http://www.greentechmedia.com/squared to find out more about our premium content. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Not

After a few years of struggles, tech providers are finally getting traction in home energy management. This is partly due to the rapid adoption of smart phones, which give companies cheap ways to interact with customers and monitor their energy consumption. It's also due to the success of laying energy services on top of home security packages, cable and internet packages, and solar contracts. So who will emerge as a winner in the space? In this edition of The Interchange, Stephen Lacey and Shayle Kann talk with Omar Saadeh, a senior grid analyst at GTM Research, about winning strategies in HEMS 2.0. The Interchange is a brand new podcast available to GTM Squared subscribers. For one month, we're giving away the show for free. Visit the gtmsquared.com to find out more about our premium content. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's been a tough summer and fall for the world's biggest renewable energy developer. Since SunEdison announced its acquisition of Vivint Solar in July, the company's stock price has fallen by 70 percent. Just this week, executives announced they are laying off 15 percent of the company's workforce -- amounting to a cut of around 1,000 people. How did a leading renewable energy company riding so high earlier in the year reverse course so quickly? In this week's podcast, we'll discuss the factors behind SunEdison's recent woes and look at its new plan to get back on track. Later in the show, we'll provide updates on Exelon's bid to buy up Pepco, Shell's decision to abandon Arctic drilling, and some energy bills making their way through Congress. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we present a special episode from our new podcast series, called "The Interchange." The Interchange is a brand-new podcast available to GTM Squared subscribers. For one month, we’re giving away the show for free. Visit gtmsquared.com to find out more about our premium content. Solar costs are on a strong downward trajectory. But competitiveness is a moving target. High levels of PV on the grid forces wholesale prices downward, potentially making the technology less competitive over time. At the same time, subsidies for the industry will likely continue to fade away. So what will it take for solar to become resistant to these forces? In the first episode of The Interchange, Stephen Lacey and Shayle Kann talk with solar expert Varun Sivaram, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, about the technology and rate design improvements needed to keep PV growth strong. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the mid 1970s, Exxon invested millions of dollars into sophisticated climate research and determined that greenhouse gas emissions would warm the planet to dangerous levels if left unchecked. But then something changed. In the mid 1980s and into the 90s, Exxon curtailed much of that research and started sowing doubt about the reality of the problem. By one tally, Exxon has spent $30 million supporting front groups and climate denying politicians in order to prevent action on reducing carbon emissions. Why such a dramatic reversal? In this episode, we talk with Neela Banerjee, a reporter with Inside Climate News, about a lengthy investigative series she's co-writing on Exxon's conflicted climate past. (Make sure to read part one, part two and part three of the Inside Climate News series.) Later in the show, we'll look at the good and bad pieces of California's latest climate and clean energy bill. And we'll end with a discussion of trends from Solar Power International. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola

In 2012, Shell ventured up to the Arctic to drill exploratory offshore oil wells. A lot went wrong. Its containment dome failed, a ship ran aground, another vessel was threatened by ice, one of its contractors was fined for safety violations -- and after all that, Shell never completed its exploratory drilling operation. The company has spent $7 billion to explore for oil in Arctic waters. And with a new plan of attack and fresh approval from the Obama Administration, Shell plans to spend $1 billion every year to get access to the region's rich reserves. In this episode, we look at the environmental, economic and political risks that Shell faces as it searches for oil in the Arctic. We'll also ask if its money could be better spent on harnessing energy resources beyond petroleum. Later in the show, we'll talk about how Hurricane Katrina influenced the environmental justice movement over the last 10 years. And we'll end with a discussion about steep feed-in tariff cuts for solar in the UK that business say wil

Behind-the meter battery storage is experiencing strong growth in the U.S. But with only 6.4 megawatts of capacity installed in 2014, companies have barely touched the market’s potential. Stem is one of a handful of companies leading the deployment of distributed batteries in commercial and industrial buildings. The company has since raised $75 million from a range of high-profile investors, and it is set to install about 10 megawatts of behind-the-meter battery systems this year. In this week’s show, Stem CEO John Carrington joins us to talk about why behind-the-meter storage is taking off, and where the economics and applications are headed. Carrington brings years of experience in solar to the storage industry. Later in the show, we’ll discuss the government’s investigation of the Solyndra loan guarantee, which was finally released after four years in the works. We’ll end the show with a discussion about Warren Buffett’s energy investments. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and mod

Until this week, most people thought Exelon's planned $6.9 billion acquisition of Pepco was a sure bet. But in a blow to both companies, regulators in the District of Columbia rejected the deal.What happened? The story is not just about a business deal gone awry. It’s a story about local empowerment, how utilities are dealing with the dramatic swing in America’s electricity market, and the tough decisions regulators are grappling with as they consider how to promote a cleaner grid. We will talk to Anya Schoolman, an organizer in DC who opposed the deal, about how a group of citizens derailed one of the largest utility acquisitions in history. Later in the show, we'll examine how recent turmoil in the financial markets may impact energy markets. And we'll finish with a discussion of President Obama's latest announcement on PACE and loan guarantees. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produce

If there’s any concept that can cut through politics of distributed energy, it’s “personal energy independence.” Some utilities may not like the idea, but many supporters believe it’s a helpful way to frame policies supporting solar, storage and microgrids, both nationally and locally. That is what encouraged Senator Angus King (I-ME) to introduce a bill in Congress that would establish a nationwide integration plan for distributed energy. Called “The Free Market Energy Act,” the legislation wouldn’t mandate any specific technology; rather, it would direct states to establish rate structures and interconnection laws supporting on-site energy systems in a way that’s fair to utilities and individual customers. “It’s absolutely clear this is where the future is going and people are going to demand their own personal energy,” explained King, speaking on the Energy Gang. This week, we talk with Senator King about his bill and discuss the politics of energy in Congress. Later in the show, we’ll explore the business

The Obama Administration finally completed its landmark climate rule that will require states to cut power plant carbon emissions. It's been hailed by supporters as historic, and demonized by opponents as an economic threat. But is it really all that big of a deal? That depends on how you look at it. In this week's show, we'll talk with Michael Grunwald, a senior reporter at Politico, who argues that the climate law is not very ambitious when it comes to carbon reductions. However, it will still be good for clean energy businesses, which will see new state markets open up because of the rule. We'll examine all the implications. Later in the program, we'll look at why the U.K.'s Green Deal efficiency program failed, and ask if there are lessons for U.S. efficiency programs. In our last segment, we'll discuss the philosophy behind Bill Gates' billion-dollar investment in clean energy. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech

Pretty much everything bad that could happen to the coal industry is happening. Global coal demand is slumping; low natural gas prices and competitive renewables are shifting the energy mix in America; and a slew of regulations are causing plants to close at an unprecedented rate. Since 2012, more than 40 U.S. coal companies have filed for bankruptcy. And just this week, Peabody Energy, one of the largest coal firms in the world, reported $1 billion in quarterly losses. In this week’s show, we’ll talk with Taylor Kuykendall, a coal reporter with SNL, about all the factors contributing to coal’s demise. Then, we’ll discuss new grid rules in California that will allow companies to aggregate distributed resources and bid them into wholesale electricity markets. And we’ll end with a look at Hillary Clinton’s proposed plan to install 140 cumulative gigawatts of solar in America by 2020. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech i

SunEdison is on a mission to become one of the biggest energy companies in the world – built entirely on renewables. It still has a ways to go. SunEdison has a $9 billion market capitalization. The two biggest oil companies, PetroChina and ExxonMobil, are worth $376 billion and $342 billion respectively. And Duke Energy, America’s largest utility, has a market cap of $50 billion. But with a slew of billion-dollar acquisitions of wind and solar companies – most recently Vivint Solar -- SunEdison believes it is on the path to rivaling the world’s supermajors. "We are building the next generation of the biggest energy companies on earth," said Julie Blunden, SunEdison's chief strategy officer, this week after announcing plans to buy Vivint Solar for $2.2 billion. In this week’s show, we will discuss SunEdison’s business strategy and ask if the company is on a sustainable growth path. In the second half of the show, we’ll talk about a new report showing renewables outpacing nuclear power, and look at a scientific

Two countries with some of the richest renewable energy resources in the world – Australia and Spain – are also two of the most hostile to the industry’s growth. Last week, Australia abruptly changed its national policies for renewables, upsetting project development plans. And in June, Spain proposed yet another tax on storage systems to discourage self-consumption. In this episode, we’ll talk about the turmoil and Australia and Spain, and look at the consequences for politicians and the renewable energy industry. We’ll finish up by debunking a new report from the Taxpayer’s Protection Alliance claiming that the solar industry is causing a bubble similar to the housing bubble that caused the 2008 financial crisis. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art

By the end of the decade, the solar industry could be installing 135 gigawatts yearly – more capacity in 12 months than all cumulative installations over the last four decades. The 2020 solar market will look much different today. It will be defined by fewer subsidies, greater geographic diversity and more sophisticated business models. This week, we’ll talk with Adam James, a senior solar analyst at GTM Research, about some of the most interesting findings from his new global demand report. Later in the show, we’ll discuss the Supreme Court ruling against the EPA’s mercury and air toxics rule for power plants. We’ll wrap up with a look at leading residential installer Sunrun as it prepares to go public. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Gree

This week, we have a taping of the Energy Gang from GTM’s Grid Edge Live conference in San Diego. We’ll talk with Tom Bialek, the chief engineer at San Diego Gas & Electric, about the utility’s landmark microgrid project, its new distributed resource management system, and how to improve the utility-customer relationship. And we’ll wrap up with a look at how California’s pro-distributed energy policies are shaping utility procurements. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.